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Author Pov
Author Pov
One day before the exams, everyone was busy with revision.
Saanvi was sitting with Vedansh, revising notes together. After some time, Vedansh excused himself and went outside the classroom.
Seeing Saanvi alone, Shivani smirked and walked towards her.
Without asking, she sat beside her.
Saanvi frowned immediately.
"kya hai?"
Shivani smiled sweetly.
"Kuch nahi. Bas aise hi."
Saanvi ignored her and continued reading.
After a few moments, Shivani spoke again.
"Saanvi, Kashvi tumhari best friend hai na?"
Saanvi looked at her.
"Haan. Toh?"
Shivani looked towards the other side of the classroom where Kashvi was sitting with Aarohi, Ishvik and Eshaan. They were laughing while studying and teasing each other.
"Tumhe nahi lagta ab Kashvi tumhare saath kam aur un log ke saath zyada rehti hai?"
Saanvi frowned.
"Matlab?"
Shivani shrugged.
"Matlab kuch nahi. Bas maine notice kiya hai."
"Earlier, lunch ho ya class, tum dono hamesha saath hote the."
"But ab dekho."
"Usse dekho."
Saanvi unconsciously looked towards Kashvi.
Kashvi was laughing at something Ishvik had said while Aarohi was explaining something to her.
And without realizing it...
Saanvi felt something unpleasant in her heart.
Shivani noticed her expression and smiled inwardly.
"Waise, ek baat bolu?"
"Mujhe toh lagta hai ab usse tumhari utni zarurat hi nahi hai."
Saanvi immediately looked at her.
"Kya bakwas kar rahi ho?"
Shivani acted innocent.
"Main toh bas wahi bol rahi jo dekhayi deraha hai."
"Ek baar bhi tumhare paas aake pucha ki tum akele kyu padh rahi ho?"
"Ya tumhe unlogo me Bulaya?"
"Nahi na?"
Saanvi clenched her fingers.
Shivani continued,
"Aur Aarohi..."
"Kashvi aur Aarohi kitni close ho gayi hai."
"Maine toh yeh bhi notice kiya hai."
"Ab toh woh usse sabse pehle batati hai."
"Hasti bhi uske saath hai."
"Padhti bhi uske saath hai."
"Woh bhi Tumhare bina."
Saanvi's heart sank.
Shivani lowered her voice.
"Waise bhi..."
"Har best friend ki life mein ek replacement aa hi jaata hai."
"Aur mujhe toh lagta hai tumhari jagah Aarohi le chuki hai."
Saanvi immediately stood up.
"Bas!"
Shivani pretended to be shocked.
"Arey, main toh bas-"
"Lekin agar meri baat galat hai, toh itna gussa kyu aa raha hai?"
Saanvi didn't answer.
Because...
A small part of her heart had already started believing those words.
Shivani saw the uncertainty in her eyes and inwardly smiled.
Then she added one last thing.
"Tumhe pata hai sabse zyada dard kab hota hai?"
"Jab hum kisi ko apna sab kuch maante hai..."
"Aur dheere dheere unke liye hum option ban jaate hai aur replacement."
"Waise, sochna zarur."
Saying this, Shivani left.
Meanwhile, Saanvi remained seated.
Her eyes slowly went towards Kashvi again.
Kashvi had just burst out laughing while Aarohi and Eshaan laughed along.
Not once...
Not even once...
Had she looked towards Saanvi.
And for the first time in months...
Saanvi felt insecure.
"Kya sach mein...?"
"Kya Kashvi ko ab meri zarurat nahi hai?"
"Kya main replace hogyi hoon?"
"Kya Aarohi meri jagah le rahi hai aur ab kya Aarohi mere zyada uske liye important hai?"
And these thoughts...
Were exactly what Shivani wanted.
••••
Shivani's words kept echoing in Saanvi's mind.
Even when Kashvi came and sat beside her, smiling softly, Saanvi only replied with a small "hmm."
Kashvi looked at her in confusion.
"Kya hua?"
"Kuch nahi."
"Pakki baat?"
"Haan."
Usually, Saanvi would start talking non-stop, but today she didn't.
At lunch, when Kashvi asked, "Sath mein chale?" Saanvi simply replied,
"Tum jao. Mujhe kaam hai."
Kashvi frowned.
"Par-"
"Bol diya na mujhe kaam hai."
Hearing her cold tone, Kashvi went silent.
The entire day, Saanvi kept replying coldly.
Whenever Kashvi talked, she answered in one word.
Whenever Kashvi sat beside her, Saanvi got up and went somewhere else.
Seeing this, Aarohi, Ishvik, Eshaan, Netrabhan, Arjun and Vedansh became confused.
Especially Kashvi.
Because in all these years, Saanvi had never behaved like this.
After school, Kashvi stopped her.
"Saanvi, maine kuch kiya hai kya?"
Saanvi looked away.
"Nahi."
"Toh phir aise kyu baat kar rahi ho?"
"Kaisi baat kar rahi hu?"
"Kuch toh hua hai na?"
Saanvi sighed.
"Kashvi, please mujhe ghar jana hai."
"Par reason toh batao."
"Bol diya na kuch nahi hua."
And without saying another word, she left.
Kashvi stood there hurt.
Tears had already gathered in her eyes.
For the first time...
Saanvi had left her questions unanswered.
---
The next day was the exam.
Kashvi was waiting outside her house.
Because everyday, Saanvi came to pick her up and they went together.
Smiling.
Talking.
Panicking over revision.
But today...
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
Then twenty.
Finally, Kashvi called Saanvi's house.
Her grandmother picked up.
"Hello beta."
"Dadi, Saanvi kab aa rahi hai?"
There was silence from the other side.
"Arey beta, woh toh kab ki school ke liye nikal gayi."
Kashvi froze.
"Ji?"
"Haan beta."
"Usne toh kaha tha jaldi jana hai."
Kashvi smiled weakly.
"Ji... thank you."
As soon as the call ended, tears started forming in her eyes.
Because...
Saanvi had never done this before.
Never.
And it hurt.
Really hurt.
But wiping her tears, she quietly left for school.
---
In school, everyone had already gathered.
Seeing Saanvi alone, Aarohi frowned.
"Kashvi kahan hai?"
Ishvik added,
"Haan, tum dono toh sath aate ho."
Vedansh also asked,
"Kya hua?"
Arjun looked at her silently.
Saanvi, already irritated, replied,
"Mujhe padhne do."
"Woh aa jayegi."
"Choti bacchi nahi hai woh."
Everyone became confused.
Especially Netrabhan.
His eyebrows furrowed.
He didn't say anything.
But he didn't like the way she said that.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Meanwhile, Saanvi remembered yesterday.
---
Flashback
Shivani had smirked.
"Theek hai."
"Tum meri baat pe vishwas mat karo."
"Bas kal ek din uske saath mat aana."
"Fir dekhna."
"Usse farak bhi padta hai ya nahi."
---
Flashback Ends
And now...
Saanvi herself was confused.
Because No one had asked her why she came alone.
No one had noticed.
At least...
That's what she thought.
Slowly, insecurity started taking over.
"Shayad sach mein kisi ko meri zarurat nahi hai."
"Kashvi ke liye bhi Aarohi zyada important hai."
"Main replace ho gayi hu."
Lost in these thoughts, she didn't even notice Eshaan looking at her.
He had noticed everything.
Her cold behavior.
Her irritation.
Her silence.
And most importantly...
The sadness hidden in her eyes.
Something was bothering her.
And he had decided.
Once today's exam ended...
He would talk to her.
Because whether she said it or not...
He knew his Saanvi wasn't okay.
•••
Just then, Kashvi entered the classroom.
The moment everyone saw her, Aarohi immediately stood up.
"Kashuu!"
Ishvik frowned.
"Tu aaj akele aayi?"
Eshaan asked worriedly,
"Sab theek hai na?"
Arjun and Vedansh also came near her.
Even Netrabhan stood up from his seat.
Seeing everyone surround Kashvi, Saanvi felt something strange in her heart.
A strange ache.
A strange jealousy.
And the words Shivani had planted in her mind started echoing again.
"Dekha?"
"Uske paas sab hai."
"Usse tumhari zarurat hi nahi hai."
"Tumhari jagah koi bhi le sakta hai."
Saanvi lowered her eyes.
Meanwhile, everyone noticed Kashvi's eyes were slightly red.
Aarohi immediately asked,
"Kya hua?"
Kashvi forced a smile.
"Kuch nahi."
But her voice itself sounded broken.
Netrabhan looked at her quietly.
He knew.
She had cried.
She looked at Kashvi.
Waiting for her.
Waiting for Kashvi to come to her first.
Like she always did.
But...
Kashvi didn't even look in her direction.
Not once...
Not once did Kashvi look towards Saanvi.
Not because she was angry.
But because she knew...
If she looked at her now-
She would cry.
And she didn't want to cry.
Not today.
Not during exams.
Meanwhile, Saanvi kept looking towards her.
For some reason...
Kashvi's silence was hurting more than her questions.
Usually, Kashvi would ask again and again.
Usually, she would keep talking until Saanvi smiled.
But today...
She had become quiet.
And Saanvi didn't know why...
But that scared her.
So she silently sat on her seat.
And for the first time...
Neither of them spoke.
Seeing this, everyone exchanged confused glances.
Even Aarohi noticed.
Usually, the moment Kashvi entered, Saanvi would start talking nonstop.
But today...
Silence.
Complete silence.
Netrabhan also looked between the two.
His eyebrows furrowed.
Something had definitely happened.
And whatever it was...
It had hurt Kashvi.
He could tell.
Because she wasn't even smiling properly.
Soon, the bell rang.
Everyone left according to their seating arrangement for the exam.
Different rooms.
Different benches.
Different floors.
And unknowingly...
Different hearts.
---
Inside the examination hall, everyone started writing their papers.
The room was completely silent.
Only the sound of pages turning and pens writing could be heard.
Kashvi was writing continuously.
But every few minutes...
Her eyes became blurry.
Not because the paper was difficult.
But because she was remembering Saanvi.
Her Saanu.
The same Saanvi who used to call her ten times in the morning.
The same Saanvi who used to drag her to school.
The same Saanvi who used to say-
"Kashu, agar tu nahi hogi na toh main bore ho jaungi."
And today...
She had left without her.
Without even informing her.
Without waiting for her.
Kashvi lowered her head.
"Kya maine sach mein kuch galat kiya hai?"
"Agar kiya hai toh Saanu bata toh deti..."
"Aur woh wohi kar rahi jisse mujhe sabse zyada hurt hota hai..."
Tears gathered in her eyes.
But she quickly wiped them.
Because this was an exam hall.
And she couldn't cry.
Not here.
---
Meanwhile, in another room, Saanvi was also writing.
Or rather...
Trying to write.
Because her mind wasn't on the paper.
It was on one thing.
The fact that Kashvi hadn't looked at her.
Not even once.
Not even accidentally.
For the first time...
Kashvi had ignored her.
And somehow...
That hurt Saanvi more than she expected.
She remembered how everyone had gone to Kashvi the moment she entered.
And how Kashvi had smiled at all of them.
But not at her.
Suddenly, Shivani's words echoed again.
"Har best friend ki life mein ek replacement aa hi jaata hai..."
"Aur mujhe toh lagta hai tumhari jagah Aarohi le chuki hai..."
Tears formed in Saanvi's eyes.
She quickly blinked them away.
"Shayad..."
"Shayad main hi late samjhi..."
"Kashu ko meri zarurat hi nahi hai..."
But little did both girls know...
That both of them were hurting.
Both of them were crying.
And both of them were thinking the same thing.
"Kya hamari dosti khatam ho rahi hai?"
----
After almost three hours, the exam finally ended.
Everyone gathered together outside the examination halls.
Ishvik stretched his arms.
"Ahhh! Chalo ek exam toh khatam hua!"
Aarohi rolled her eyes.
"Drama company."
Eshaan laughed while Arjun and Vedansh discussed the paper.
But after a few moments, Aarohi frowned.
"Ek minute... Kashvi kaha hai?"
Everyone looked around.
She wasn't there.
Saanvi also looked around instinctively.
But she couldn't find her.
And strangely...
Netrabhan was absent too.
"Headboy sahab bhi gayab hai," Ishvik muttered.
Everyone became confused.
Meanwhile, Saanvi's thoughts went somewhere else.
"Kya maine zyada rude behave kiya?"
"Shayad mujhe aise baat nahi karni chahiye thi..."
She sighed.
And for the first time since yesterday...
Guilt started creeping into her heart.
---
Meanwhile...
Inside the library.
Kashvi was sitting all alone.
Her exam paper had gone well.
But her heart...
It hadn't.
She sat in the corner near the window.
Trying.
Trying so hard not to cry.
But tears kept falling.
She quickly wiped them away.
But they refused to stop.
She hugged herself.
And whispered softly,
"Saanu..."
Her voice broke.
"Saanu agar maine kuch galat kiya hai toh bata toh deti..."
"Iss tarah baat karna band kyu kar diya..."
"Maine kya kiya hai..."
Her tears flowed continuously.
"Please mujhse aise baat mat karo..."
"Mujhe bilkul acha nahi lag raha..."
"It hurt's..."
She buried her face in her arms.
Trying to stop herself.
Trying not to cry loudly.
But she couldn't.
Because Saanvi wasn't just her best friend.
She was family.
And family leaving without explanation...
Hurts.
A lot.
Just then...
She heard footsteps.
Thinking it was the librarian, she quickly wiped her tears.
But the next moment...
She froze.
Because standing near the entrance...
Was Netrabhan.
And the moment he saw her red eyes and tears...
His heart sank.
"Aarzoo...?"
His voice was barely above a whisper.
And hearing that one word...
Kashvi's eyes filled with tears again.
---
Seeing tears continuously falling from her eyes, Netrabhan immediately went towards her.
He knelt down in front of her chair and softly held her trembling hands.
"Aarzoo..."
"Kya hua?"
The moment she heard his voice, Kashvi couldn't hold herself anymore.
She started crying even more.
Netrabhan panicked.
"Aarzoo, please... royiye mat."
"Kya hua hai?"
Kashvi shook her head and tried to stop crying, but she couldn't.
After a few moments, she finally spoke between hiccups.
"Saanvi..."
"Woh mujhse baat karna band kar diya..."
Netrabhan quietly listened.
"Maine bohot pucha..."
"Par woh reason hi nahi bata rahi..."
"Kal poora din mujhse aise baat ki jaise main koi stranger hu..."
"Phir aaj..."
"Aaj woh mujhe bina bataye school chali gayi..."
Her voice broke again.
Netrabhan's heart ached seeing her like this.
Kashvi held his hand tightly.
"Jaante hai..."
"Mujhse jab koi baat nahi karta na..."
"Mujhe bohot rona aata hai..."
"Baat kar lo..."
"Maar lo..."
"Gussa ho lo..."
"Lekin baat karna mat band karo..."
"It hurts..."
"Bohot zyada hurts karta hai..."
"I don't like that..."
"Mujhe bilkul acha nahi lagta..."
Her tears fell on his hand.
"I can tolerate anger..."
"I can tolerate scolding..."
"But silence..."
"Silence hurts me..."
"Mujhe lagta hai shayad meri koi galti hai..."
"Shayad main buri hu..."
"Shayad samne wala mujhse door jana chahta hai..."
"And I hate that feeling..."
Listening to her, Netrabhan's eyes softened.
He slowly sat beside her.
Without saying anything, he gently pulled her towards himself.
Kashvi immediately rested her head on his shoulder and held his shirt tightly.
He softly stroked her hair.
"Aarzoo..."
"Ek baat bolun?"
She nodded.
"Kabhi kabhi bas misunderstandings ho jati hain."
"But please..."
"Yeh mat sochiye ki aap buri hain."
"Ya aapki wajah se sab door chale jayenge."
"Kyuki aisa nahi hai."
He wiped her tears with his thumb.
"Aur ek baat aur..."
Kashvi looked at him through her teary eyes.
He smiled softly.
"Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye..."
"Main aapse baat karna kabhi band nahi karunga."
"Gussa ho jaunga thoda sa kyu ki aapse gussa bhi ho skta."
"Naraaz bhi ho jaunga lekin puri tarah se naraz nhi."
"Daant bhi dunga lekin tab jab aap apna khayal nhi rakhengi."
"Lekin..."
"Baat karna kabhi band nahi karunga."
"Promise."
Hearing that, Kashvi's eyes filled with tears again.
Not because she was hurt.
But because for the first time...
Someone had promised her exactly what she feared losing the most.
She slowly whispered,
"Sach?"
Netrabhan smiled.
"Haan, Aarzoo."
"Aapse baat kiye bina mera bhi kaha man lagta hai?"
And hearing that...
Kashvi finally smiled through her tears and slowly rested her head back on his shoulder.
Neither of them noticed...
That someone standing outside the library door had heard everything.
And that someone...
Was Saanvi.
So here ends the chapter ✨
I really want to know your thoughts on this chapter-what did you feel while reading it?
Do tell me your favourite moment from this chapter 🫶🤍
See you in the next chapter 🎀
Take care 🤍
Bye bye 👋🏻
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